Home-heating assistance through the CT Energy Assistance Program is scheduled to begin delivery in two weeks (Nov. 2, 2020), but applicants should submit their applications as soon as possible.
CRT can help individuals and families to apply for this valuable program now.
Learn more in this interview featuring CRT by reporter Solangi Sosa on Telemundo New England.
For more information, check out the Energy Assistance page.
CRT is proud to be working with Access Health CT as a Navigator helping people find and sign up for quality health insurance coverage here in Connecticut!
Learn more in this short video:
Get more information about the program and how to sign up for health insurance on our Navigator page.
CRT urges residents to apply now for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program and find out if you qualify to receive help paying for your home-heating bills this winter! Demand is expected to rise due to COVID-19 and higher unemployment this year.
Fuel deliveries begin Nov. 2, so the time to apply is now!
Learn more in this article by Steven Goode in the Hartford Courant.
To begin the application process, please call CRT’s Energy Assistance hotline at: 860-560-5800 or visit the web page for more information.
Photo by Nadia Valko on Unsplash.
It’s the ” Final Countdown!” The deadline to complete the 2020 U.S. Census is now end of day on Thursday, October 15. If you have not yet filled out your Census, now is the time to get it done!
Get complete details about the dangers of a low Census count in this report by Dominique Moody on NBC Connecticut:
Help ensure a complete and accurate count of all households in Connecticut and especially in hard-to-reach cities like Hartford where the self-enumeration rate is still below 50%!
Take five minutes and complete your Census now: https://2020census.gov/
Remember, #EveryoneCounts!
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz along with OPM Secretary Melissa McCaw hosted a Women in Leadership panel discussion this week. A recording of that important conversation is now available online.
The session was co-moderated by CRT’s President and CEO Lena Rodriguez, and it also included several Latinas in leadership positions throughout Connecticut:
Give a listen to the full conversation now.
Hartford — It was reported that nationally first-time unemployment claims topped 840,000 people last week. These difficulties and the financial impact that results may leave thousands of people in Connecticut wondering how they are going to pay their bills this winter, in particular, how will they be able to afford their home-heating expenses? Or, will they have to choose between paying the heating bill (like getting an oil delivery), or paying for groceries, or a medical expense, or fixing the car … But it doesn’t need to be this way!
The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program is available to both home owners and renters living in Connecticut to help them cover their home-heating expenses during the coming winter months. (Yes, winter is coming!)
CRT is encouraging everyone throughout the state of Connecticut to find out if they qualify for this FREE program; and to ensure that families are not stuck with a cold house this winter!
Who qualifies to receive help from the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program?
There are income eligibility requirements to qualify for the CT Energy Assistance Program, and the Community Renewal Team can help you check to see if you are qualified.
In fact, the income eligibility requirements, per household, are quite generous – there is no harm in checking to see if you qualify, and there’s no shame in using this important service!
According to the Connecticut Department of Social Services, decisions regarding eligibility are based on the number of people living in your household. Specifically, household size includes both homeowners and renters that pay separately for heat; AND renters whose heat is included in the rent, as long as more than 30% of gross income is paid towards rent. For example:
What types of home-heating options are covered by the CT Energy Assistance Program?
For those who qualify for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program, home-heating assistance pays for a household’s primary heating source, and this includes many different ways to heat your home. Heating sources include: oil, natural gas, electricity, propane, kerosene, coal, and even wood and wood pellets.
How do I apply for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program?
If you live in Central Connecticut (i.e., Hartford County or Middlesex County), the fastest way to apply for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program is to call CRT’s Energy Assistance Hotline @ 860-560-5800! This number is available 24-hours a day – if you leave a message, someone will get back to you!
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, ALL Applications can be taken over the phone – this is for the health and safety of both CRT’s staff, and for the individuals applying for Energy Assistance. The call center representatives speak both English and Spanish.
When does Energy Assistance begin in Connecticut?
This year, the first day for Fuel Deliveries is November 2, 2020. So, apply now to find out if you are qualified, and get enrolled in the program for this winter.
You can also visit CRT’s Energy Assistance Program page for more information.
Photo by Bobby Stevenson on Unsplash.
Nationally, first-time unemployment claims topped 840,000 people last week. And despite the start of Phase 3 of the reopening of businesses here in Connecticut, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a hard toll on many women in the workplace locally, many either choosing to leave jobs to stay home with their family, or out of work due to business closures.
It has been reported that in September, 865,000 women left the labor force.
Christine Stuart from NBC Connecticut spoke with CRT’s Director of Women’s Services, Tenesha Grant, about the work of the agency’s Women’s Empowerment Center in Hartford to help women in need find meaningful employment during these extremely difficult times.
Happy Energy Awareness Month! Ray Dunaway and Joe D’Ambrosio on the WTIC 1080 AM Morning Show spoke with Jason Black from the Community Renewal Team (CRT) about the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program which can help eligible households throughout Central Connecticut to apply for home-heating assistance this winter. Find out if you qualify! They also spoke about Weatherization services to make your home more energy efficient all year round.
To learn more about the Energy Assistance Program, please call CRT’s hotline at: 860-560-5800. Call center reps are available and they speak English and Spanish for your convenience.
Listen to the full interview now.
Jason Black from CRT spoke with reporter Brenda León from Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR) this week about the benefits of additional time to complete the 2020 U.S. Census this month.
And while the enumeration rate for the Census in Connecticut is 99.9%, the self-response rate in Hartford is not nearly as good, and continues to be below 50%. (Reported by the U.S. Census Bureau as 48.9% as of Oct. 7.)
An inaccurate count (i.e., if the count is low or incomplete) could affect funding decisions by the federal government for the next 10 years, which will then impact people statewide in Connecticut, with the potential to cut budgets for programs that we all rely on, like SNAP benefits, energy assistance, health care, education and much more.
Check out the full story on the Connecticut Public Radio website.
The new deadline to complete the 2020 Census is October 31, 2020. If you have not yet completed the Census, please take five minutes to do it now! Start here.
